Cable reel drive mechanism



June 13, 1967 F. c. HALL CABLE REEL DRIVE MECHANISM Filed Oct. 20, 1964INVENTOR. FIFE!) AL-L.

United States Patent 3,325,118 CABLE REEL DRIVE MECHANISM Fred C. Hall,820 Sharon Park Drive, Menlo Park, Calif. 94025 Filed Oct. 20, 1964,Ser. No. 405,123 1 Claim. (Cl. 242-865) This invention relates to cablereel drive mechanism, and particularly to such drive mechanism as isused in conjunction with a cable reel lifter, the lifter in turn beingof relatively small size and particularly useful in association withlight trucks of the pick-up variety.

Cable reel drive mechanism is often complicated by many gears and chainsor other connecting means for transferring drive from the source ofpower to the cable reel, and heretofore there has been no compact simpleunit which will operate reels of various sizes equally as eificiently,and without regard for the width or weight within quite wide limits.

Cable reel lifters and drives, are of course primarily useful in utilityconstruction operations, and maintenance as a matter of fact, or in anyinstance where cable is to be reeled in and payed out with some rapidityin order to economize in the aspect of labor as much as possible.

This particular invention is directed to a novel form of reel drivemechanism in which the cable reel is lifted into position so that itengagesthe drive and is regulated in drive engagement by suitableinstrumentalities provided therefor, the drive acting either as a brake,and in either of reverse directions or merely as a support for the reelin its loaded position in conjunction with other mechanism providedtherefor.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a simpleform of cable reel drive which will operate various diameters of cablereels and both for reeling in and reeling out and for regulating thespeed at which such reeling in or reeling out may be undertaken.

It is a primary object of the invention further to effect these variousmotions and operations by hydraulic means so that a smooth easyoperation is effected and control is possible within very closetolerances.

Other and further objects of the invention will be understood from aconsideration of the specification appended hereto and disclosed in thedrawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view somewhat fragmentary in nature andlikewise diagrammatic in certain apsects, illustrating the generalarrangement of this invention and positions of reels to be driventhereby.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view, likewise fragmentary in nature showing furtherdetails of the mechanism of both the drive and reel lifting elementsthereof.

The invention is shown as being incorporated in a unit having a baseframe generally designated 1, which includes longitudinally extendingbase frame members 2, there being one at each side and the distanceapart being substantially the width of the interior of a pick-up truckbed designated 3.

In order to connect the longitudinal base frame members 2, at their endsor near thereto, base frame crosspieces 4 and 5 are provided, therebeing one at the rear and front respectively.

I have thus provided a base rectangular frame generally open in aspectin plan, there being a transversely extending pivot bar 6, which isengaged at the ends of the longitudinal frame members 2, this bar 6having the lift arms 7 connected thereto for pivotal movement as now tobe explained.

It should be first noted that the arms 7 are formed by an initialsection 8 pivotally mounted on the bar 6, and a further offset endmember in each case designated 9.

At the ends of the arms 7, suitable saddle configurations 3,325,118Patented June 13, 1967 are provided designated at 10, to receive theheadache bar 11, commonly so-called, which headache bar 11 is intendedto support the cable reel generally suggested at 12 in dotted lines.

The headache bar is retained in the saddles 10 by means of suitable pins13 provided.

The arrangement of these saddles is such that when the arms 7 are in thelowermost position indicated by dotted lines in FIGURE 1 for example,the reel 12 can be rolled with the headache ba-r extending therethroughinto position to engage such saddles and the pins 13 thereupon inserted.

In order to operate the lift arms 7, a parallelogram arrangement isprovided including the main link 14 which is pivotally connected at 15to one of the longitudinal side members or frame members 2, it beingnoted that this mechanism now described is duplicated at opposite sides,the other end of the link 14 being connected at 16 to a common pivotfrom which the link 17 extends, this latter in turn being pivotallyconnected at 18 to the arm 7.

Each of the links and arms now being described is in turn provided witha hydraulic piston and cylinder unit 20, the cylinder section beingdenoted 21 and the piston rod 22, the piston rod in each case beingconnected at 16 to the links 14 and 17.

The other end of the piston and cylinder unit 20 in each case isconnected pivotally at 24 to a vertically extending member 25 fastenedto the base frame 1 as will be readily understood.

It is thus arranged so that by suitable manipulation of the piston andcylinder units 20, the parallelogram arrangement provided by the links14 and 17 will in turn actuate the lift arms 7 to move the cable reel 12through the various positions suggested.

Adjacent the forward end of the base frame 1, the base frame in thisinstance being supported on a pick-up truck generally denoted 26, andspecifically in the body 3 thereof, there being a suitable roller 27extending transversely as indicated in the respective figures, and offairly large diameter, having a resilient cover which will frictionallydrive the reel in a manner to be subsequently explained.

In any event, the roller 27 is supported on suitable pillow blocks suchas suggested at 30, there being one at each side of the member and thesein turn, of course, being suitably fixed to the respective longitudinalbase frame member 2.

The roller 27 is thus supported for rotation and is driven by a.suitable sprocket indicated at 31, having a chain 32 engaged therewith,the forward end of the chain 32 in turn drivably carried by a furthersprocket 33 which is mounted on the shaft 34 of a hydraulic motor 35.

The hydraulic motor 35 is in turn supplied by hydraulic fluid underpressure from a suitable pump, which pump is driven by a power takeoffsuch as 36, this latter being engine operated by the truck upon whichthe unit is mounted.

A suitable control box 37 is provided to regulate the operation of themotor 35 in forward and reverse actuation or to cause the motor 35 toact as a brake in carrying out the intended operation now to be setforth.

The motor 35 is supported on a suitable base 38 which is in turnconnected to the base frame 1 in any suitable or preferred manner.

The cable reel 12 is of common form, including a reel drum suggested at40 with end covers 41 therefor, the cable normally being reeved aroundthe drum and supported and maintained in position by the covers as iswell known.

These cable drums may be of any preferred construction, steel or wood asthe case may be, and when positioned as suggested in FIGURE 1 upwardlyover the mechanism heretofore described in detail, arranged to bring theperiphery of the covers 41 into driving engagement with the roller 27.

This is, of course, effected by manipulation of the hydraulic piston andcylinder units 20 in accordance With any preferred way of operating themas by lever such as 37a in the control unit 37.

A control lever 37b is provided to regulate operation of the motor 35and thus of the roller 27 to in turn drive the reel 12.

It will be apparent that any desired degree of frictional engagement maybe effected by manipulation of the hydraulic piston and cylinder units20 and depending of course upon the material with which the surface ofthe roller 27 is covered.

The foregoing has explained in detail the specific operation of the reelloader and drive unit, and it will of course be understood that reels ofvarious sizes are possible to be driven depending upon their positionand the ability of the truck or pick-up truck to support the same, aswell as the power afforded by the hydraulic piston and cylinder units 20to raise and lower the same.

Its ability to regulate the rotation of the reel 12 is important undermany operating circumstances where construction or re-construction ofvarious types of lines on which the cable would be reeved on a reel suchas 12 is undertaken.

The base frame 1 is ar-rangedwith all the various parts shown thereon soas to be removable from the pick-up truck 26, and from within the body 3although the arrangement suggested necessitates connection anddisconnection of the hydraulic lines as will be apparent.

The unit as such however does not occupy the entire truck bed and whenno cable reel is supported thereby, is of such a nature as to permit theuse of the truck for other purposes.

I claim:

In reel drive mechanism of the class described, in combination, a baseframe, lift arms pivotally connected thereto at one end, means includinga shaft to support a reel of cable or the like at the free ends of saidarms, a reel on said shaft carried by said arms, said reel having atleast one end cover, reel drive and control means on said base frame,lift arm operating means connected to said arms and to said base frame,said lift arm operating means being operable to move a reel to and froma position with the periphery of said cover in driving engagement withthe drive and control means aforesaid, whereby reel rotation is effectedand controlled, said lift arm operating means comprising hydraulicpiston and cylinder units and control means therefor, said control meansbeing operable to regulate the degree of frictional engagement exertedby the cover in a driving engagement set forth.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,795,506 3/1931 Reiners et al.

1,949,481 3/1934 Koller 214-38 2,008,612 7/1935 Heath 242-867 X2,679,987 6/1954 Saliba 242-66 2,843,915 7/1958 Drake 242- X 2,876,9163/1959 Austrow et a1.

3,091,413 5/1963 Leithiser 242-867 3,150,842 9/1964 Weber 242-8653,165,214 1/1965 Young 214-77 3,184,082 5/1965 Hall 214-77 3,190,5766/1965 Stone 242-787 X FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

STANLEY N. GILREATH, Examiner.

W. S. BURDEN, Assistant Examiner.

